Family of Regina teenager say bullying may have played a part in her death

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Online comments have been pouring in on Facebook memorial pages and on Twitter over the past week, after a Regina teenager died, in what parents suspect to be another case of suicide after relentless online bullying.

The funeral of 13-year-old Savy Turcotte was scheduled for Monday afternoon at Regina Apostolic Church

While investigators have not released the cause of the girl’s death, Turcotte’s parents believe she took her own life, and that bullying may have played a role in her death on Oct. 22.

In a statement released to the media on Saturday, Turcotte’s mother, Kelly, urges parents to limit their children’s online communication, and to monitor their children’s diaries and journals to understand their emotional state.

She warned that while children may be “smiling on the outside and surrounded by friends,” they can be struggling with depression and anxiety.

In an obituary published last Thursday in the Leader-Post, the family of the girl asked for help in raising bullying awareness in schools, and to put an end to bullying.

One of Turcotte’s Facebook memorial pages, which has amassed almost 2,000 “likes” has since become a place for people to share their experiences of being bullied.

“Want to get your bullying story out there without your name? To show people they’re not alone. Send me it && I’ll post it. 100% anonymous,” wrote the creator the Facebook page.

The page also shows pictures of Savy’s friends with her name written in marker on their wrists.